Half of online stores sell knives to children

HALF of online retailers and around a fifth of small, independent shops tested by police sold knives to children, officers have revealed.

Duncan Ball, knife crime lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, revealed that in 53 per cent of test cases a 15-year-old was able to buy a knife online. And in around a fifth of test pur- chases in small, independent shops, a child under 18 was sold a knife during the most recent police crackdown.

Mr Ball, deputy assistant commissioner of the Met Police, highlighted the issue ahead of police action on knife crime set to take place next week across all UK forces. In the year to September 2017, England and Wales saw a surge of 21 per cent in recorded crimes involving a knife, including a 13 per cent rise in homicides; a 44 per cent rise in sexual assaults; and a 28 per cent rise in rapes where a bladed weapon was used, compared to the previous year. Mr Ball said: “If you order it (a knife) online, it depends on the due diligence of the delivery driver. Do they leave it under the bin or do they hand it to whoever opens the door?”

Last year, the Home Office revealed plans to make it an offence to deliver a knife sold online to a private residential address. The buyer would have to collect the knife in person at a location where their age can be checked.

Forces will next week carry out test purchases by under age teenagers, stop and search operations and weapons’ sweeps, and target wanted criminals.